A key strand of the Experiential Learning CETL’s work has been concerned with preparing students for life after university. Through its Skills Plus strategy, the University of Plymouth seeks to offer a curriculum which enhances student employability and prepares them for lifelong learning. In this context the Experiential Learning CETL examined how experiences and learning through fieldwork and labwork (and obviously work-based learning) can help students in their future employment. Key initiatives have included:-

• A review of literature and current practice relating to employability and entrepreneurship, reported in Enhancing Student Employability and Entrepreneurship through the Environmental and Natural Sciences (PDF format)

• Fieldwork: enhancing student employability, a staff guide to support and evaluate students’ reflection and skills development in fieldwork (PDF format)

• Labwork: enhancing student employability, a staff guide to support and evaluate students’ reflection and skills development in fieldwork (to follow)

• The introduction of Flux, “…the UK's largest inter-university enterprise event drawing the most enterprising teams from across the UK together to compete against each other in an enterprise challenge".The University of Plymouth became national champions in 2007 and 2008 and runners up in 2009. Students undertaking placements with the EL CETL were part of the 2007 and 2009 winning teams. 

• The 2009 Embedding Enterprise in Higher Education Conference, which brought together enterprise champions from South West HE institutions, local business intermediaries and representatives, and University of Plymouth and University of Plymouth Colleges’ staff.